USPTO Patents Application 10698564

Application No. 10/698,564
Confirmation No. 1121
Docket No. 037768-0173

II. Amendments to the Claims This listing of claims will replace all prior
versions of claims in the application.

1. (Currently Amended) A method of manufacturing powder comprising:
providing a metal-containing precursor;

feeding the metal-containing precursor to a reaction zone thereby creating a
vapor of the metal-containing precursor;

adding a reactive fluid to the metal-containing precursor in the reaction zone
thereby creating a stream comprising vaporized metal-containing precursor and
reactive fluid, wherein the metal-containing precursor comprises motal
carboxylato; is selected from the group consisting of metal acetates, metal
carboxylates, metal nitrates, metal sulfates, and metal hydroxides;

processing the stream;

cooling the vapor to form a vapor stream comprising nucleated nanoscale
powders;

quenching the vapor stream comprising nucleated nanoscale powders
thereby preventing agglomeration and grain growth ; and

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Application No. 10/698,564
Confirmation No. 1121
Docket No. 037768-0173

wherein the powder manufactured comprises nano-dispersed nanopowders
comprising carrier particles of at least one first composition and attached particles
of at least one second composition that are dispersed on and attached to the surface
of the carrier particles, wherein the attached particles differ from the carrier
particles, wherein the ratio of the average size of the attached particles to the
average size of the carrier particles is greater than or equal to 1:2 .

2. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the metal-containing
precursor is selected from the group comprising an emulsion, fluid, particle-
containing liquid slurry, a gas, a solid, a single-phase liquid, a multi-phase liquid, a
melt and a fluid mixture.

3. (Canceled)

4. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the metal-
containing precursor is a mixture of multiple metal-containing precursors.

5. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the nanoscale powder
comprises a metal.

6. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive fluid comprises
oxygen.

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Application No. 10/698,564
Confirmation No. 1121
Docket No. 037768-0173

7. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive fluid
comprises carbon.

8. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive fluid
comprises nitrogen.

9. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive fluid
comprises boron.

10. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive fluid
comprises hydrogen.

1 1 . (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the feeding the
metal-containing precursor to the reaction zone comprises spraying that enhances
heat transfer efficiency, mass transfer efficiency, momentum transfer efficiency,
and reaction efficiency.

12. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction zone is surrounded
by a concentric zone to reduce non-uniformities in heat, mass or momentum
transfer.

13. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the processing is
achieved using one or more of the techniques selected from the group consisting of
plasma processes, internal energy, heat of reaction, conduction, convection,

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Application No. 10/698,564
Confirmation No. 1121
Docket No. 037768-0173

radiation, inductive, microwave, electromagnetic, direct electric arc, pulsed electric
arc, laser and nuclear.

14. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the reacted metal-containing
precursor is product of combustion.

15. (Currently Amended) The method of claim h 14, wherein the conducting
high temperature combustion processing is performed at temperatures a
temperature greater than 600°C.

16. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1 further comprising adding
carrier particles to a stage of the processing.

17. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 32, wherein the harvesting is
accomplished using one or more techniques selected from the group consisting of
bag filtration, electrostatic separation, membrane filtration, cyclones, impact
filtration, centrifugation, hydrocyclones, thermophoresis, magnetic separation,
impingement filters, screen filters, fabric filters and scrubbers.

18. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the quenching is accomplished
using adiabatic expansion.

19. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes
instrumentation for quality control.

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Application No. 10/698,564
Confirmation No. 1121
Docket No. 037768-0173

20. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the process operates near
ambient pressure.

21. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the process operates at a
pressure less than 750 mm Hg absolute.

22. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 21, wherein the pressure is achieved
using a compressed fluid-based eductor operating on a venturi principle.

23. (Withdrawn) A method of producing nanoscale particles in vacuum
wherein the vacuum is achieved using a compressed fluid-based eductor operating
on a venturi principle.

24. (Canceled)

25. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the metal-containing
precursor comprises nanoscale powder and coarse carrier particles.

26. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the powder
manufactured comprises carrier particles comprising a ceramic and attached
particles comprising metal.

27. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the powder manufactured
comprises carrier particles comprising a ceramic and attached particles comprising
an alloy.

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Application No. 10/698,564
Confirmation No. 1121
Docket No. 037768-0173

28. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the powder
manufactured comprises carrier particles comprising a ceramic and attached
particles comprising an oxide.

29. (Withdrawn) The method of claim 1, wherein the powder
manufactured comprises carrier particles comprising a ceramic and attached
particles comprising a ceramic.

30. (Withdrawn) A powder manufactured using the method of claim 1.

31. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-
containing precursor is a metal carboxylate.

32. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, further comprising
harvesting the nucleated nanoscale powders.

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